Songs About Lily
by Intercedo Circu
Summary: Hogwarts year of 1976. Chapter Two: Quidditch Tryouts ("James constantly badgered both of them about the upcoming tryouts.") (LEJP, RLSB)
1. Harder to Breathe

**A/N: Yes, I have started a chaptered fic, much to my chagrin. It's not like I have time anymore. But still, this came and bothered me and so I wrote it. I'm starting out on chapter two.**

**Many many many thanks to my beta Take to the Sky or Amber. (Go read her stuff, much better then mine).**

**Chapter One**

**Harder to Breathe**

King's Cross Station was packed on September first. Not that it wasn't usually packed, but today, one of the guards mentioned to another, it seemed more full of… weirdoes.

It was true. Young people with large, old fashioned trunks and cats (and don't forget the owls) were crawling all over the place. There were people in cloaks wandering about. They seemed to be gathering around the area of Platforms Nine and Ten, but many of the guards just didn't notice.

The "weirdoes" were good at this game.

One guard pointed out a family of brothers and a mother and father. The boys seemed to be about the same age, fifteen or sixteen. The mother was fussing over the taller one, tugging at the longish black hair. She complained loudly, "Sirius! You need to cut your hair."

The young man laughed. The smaller one went red. "Mum." He muttered.

"Oh James," the mother said. "It's not as if your hair—" someone bumped into the short woman and she turned to look at the person losing her train of thought.

"Now boys," the father began.

"Dad!" The short one—James was it?—said. "Not until we get on the platform!"

"Besides," the taller one said with an impish grin, "Remus is a prefect this year, he'll keep us in order."

"Remus didn't keep you from sneaking off school grounds last year," the father said.

"Oh, but really Mr. Potter, we'll be good and listen to Remus this year," Sirius said. James snorted.

The mother shook her head. "If I had legal guardianship over you Sirius Black—" she was cut off by Sirius bending down and hugging her.

"I can still call you mother, and therefore will." Sirius kissed the small woman on the forehead. "Doesn't matter that you're not my real mother."

Tears formed in the woman's eyes and she hugged her surrogate son tightly before turning to the smaller young man. She patted at his hair.

"James," she said despairingly.

"Oh, mum," James complained. "I know my hair is a mess! It's not my fault! You don't fuss over dad this way."

"But you grow yours out more darling." She reached up and patted at the tuff of hair that refused to be patted down.

Sirius made a face at James. James returned the favor.

"James, stop it. You too, Sirius."

James looked at his mother. "How do you know this stuff?"

"I'm your mother, James Potter, of course I know when you're both doing things you shouldn't." Mrs. Potter pulled a handkerchief out of her handbag and began to rub a spot on James' nose.

"Mum!" James backed away. Mr. Potter smiled down at his son.

"Marie, it's all right. I think we need to get them onto the platform."

James smiled gratefully at his father before beginning to push his trunk and owl forward. Sirius followed suit.

They casually leant against the barrier between Platforms Nine and Ten, chatting to each other about random things that wouldn't make them seem too odd.

Suddenly they slipped through the barrier and disappeared.

The old guard who was sitting near by blinked. He swore he had just seen two boys disappear. Rubbing his eyes and deciding his old mind was playing tricks on him, he forgot almost at once the magic he had seen that day.

* * *

James Potter and Sirius Black arrived on the other side of the barrier without mishap. Mr. and Mrs. Potter appeared not long after and helped the boys to the gleaming red train that stood at Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

If James had been Muggle-born (Muggles being non-magical people) he would have been more amazed by the variety of things and people surrounding him. They passed by an Indian boy who was showing off his snake. He'd apparently learned how to charm it without magic over the summer. Girls with their long hair pinned up in curls (created by magic, so they were perfect and not frizzy). Boys carrying around modles that actually moved. There was even a boy who was saying goodbye to his mother and what seemed to be his dog (though James knew that it was his father, a result of a Transfiguration "experiment" gone wrong).

Then he saw her. Lily Evans was standing beside Jolene Alexandria. They were frowning at the throng before them. Jolene was a chaser on the house Quidditch team and Lily Evans was one of the house prefects.

That didn't make her special to James. No, Lily Evans was just—he couldn't describe it. Sirius noticed James' gaze and shook his head.

"James, don't start it this year."

James ran a hand through his hair, making it stick up at odd angles, as if he had stuck his head out of a car window going seventy. Lily Evans noticed James and a look of disgust crossed her face. She turned to Jolene and they moved away.

"You know she hates you!" Sirius whispered as the Potters came to say goodbye.

"That doesn't—"

"Now boys!" Mr. Potter began.

James groaned and Sirius put on his "I'm-pretending-to-listen-to-the-speech-I've-heard-ten-times-now" face.

"I don't want to get a letter from Dumbledore saying that you've—"

"Oh Dad, we're not that bad," James said with a wicked grin. "We haven't blown up a toilet yet."

Mr. Potter sighed exasperatedly. "Marie can you—" the whistle blew and James looked up excitedly.

"We have to go!" He hugged his mother and father and darted onto the train. Sirius yelled a hurried thank you and hugged them.

"Don't blow up a toilet!" Mr. Potter yelled as the train began to move. James grinned.

"We will!" he yelled as the train turned a corner. Laughing to himself, James turned to see Sirius struggling with his trunk.

"Urgh, James what did you put in here?" Sirius said trying to push the trunk with his leg.

"Bricks, to whack people with," James replied moving around Sirius to the other side of the trunk.

"Snape included in that list of people you're going to whack?"

"Of course, Padfoot." He picked up his end, and Sirius picked up the other.

"Ouch. James, why do you pack bricks?"

"You try fitting all the books I need in your trunk."

"I did fit them!"

"Shut up."

They hoisted it to the top rack and moved to Sirius' trunk, which James found was heavier than his own.

"Merlin, Padfoot, what did you put in here?"

Sirius gave James a smile that made him look like the devil. James was scared.

"You filled every crack with dungbombs didn't you?" Lily Evans stood in the doorway, her emerald green eyes fierce and annoyed.

"Evans!" James cried, pushing the trunk higher. Sirius pushed it onto the rack and then turned to the redhead.

"Ah, the pretty Lily, what can we do for you, love?"

"Go away," Lily replied.

"Can't," James answered back.

"And why not?"

"You're standing in the door."

Lily went red. "There's another door going the other way."

"Presumably you would be going that way if you're facing that direction, so we'll be walking with you." James smiled charmingly.

Lily glared at him. James ran a hand through his hair. With a look of pure annoyance Lily stalked past them.

"Wait up, love," James cried walking behind her.

"Bugger off, Potter," Lily snapped. "I'm not your 'love,' don't call me that, and _stop running your hand through your hair_."

James laughed halfheartedly. "Come on Lily, you think it's sexy, don't you?"

Lily growled softly. "No."

"Come on, you know—"

"Potter," Lily whirled and glared at him. Her face was red, her eyes sparkling, her hair falling softly in waves around her face. James had never seen a more beautiful girl in his life. "Get it into your fat head that I hate you. Go away and stop bothering me."

"I will if you—"

Lily turned and walked away. James stared after her, looking slightly hurt. "She didn't let me finish my sentence," he said to no one.

Sirius appeared and looked at him. "Come on, Prongs, can't do everything."

"Can't have everything," James whispered before turning to his friend.

"Let's find Moony and Wormtail," Sirius said. Together they headed up the train.

* * *

The compartment in the front of the train was full. Lily sighed and forced herself onto the seat next to Severus Snape. It was the only seat available; otherwise she would have avoided it like the plague.

Severus Snape, the sixth year Slytherin prefect, was a loner. His hair was greasy, and Lily suspected that he never washed it. Making a face she turned to look up at the Head Boy and Girl. Andrew Cunningham was a tall Indian boy with sharp features. Kerri Lifty was a short dark young woman. They stood in front of the prefects and smiled at them.

Andrew's smile was endearing, Kerri's was nice. Still, it was slightly unnerving to have two people staring at you, smiling, Lily thought.

"Well, you're all prefects," Andrew began.

"Still," Kerri cut in. There were a few giggles. Andrew paused and his smile grew broader.

"Yes, still." Lily looked sideways at Snape, trying to figure out how to get away from him. She shifted forward.

"You all should have received your badges again; they'll need to be on your robes at all times," Andrew said gently. "I know they're such an annoyance."

"Your duties for this year are the same as last year," Kerri said. Some of the fifth year prefects looked as if they were going to say something when she continued.

"But it is procedure for us to tell you again. Also, fifth years need to know. We should introduce ourselves to them and they to us."

Lily sighed. This was going to take forever.

"Prefects are here to ensure that order is kept in common rooms, the halls, the Great Hall, classes, everywhere in the school basically," Andrew said dryly.

"You aren't allowed to take points off of houses. Well, you can, but it's not going to affect the scoring," Kerri said.

"We're responsible for events. Halloween and, as long as enough people are staying for it, Christmas," Andrew said. "Kerri and I have been thinking about a Halloween ball, instead of the normal feast. It's up to you, though. We'll discuss it next time we meet. Am I forgetting anything, Kerri?"

"We have to patrol the corridors every now and then during the ride, and sometimes when there are emergencies at school. We have to help teachers when they need help. Er… that's about it."

"So we'll introduce ourselves," Andrew said. "Go by year, seventh year first and so on and so forth. Oh, and we should go first. I'm Andrew Cunningham."

"Kerri Lifty," Kerri said. "You should say your house and year, Andrew."

"Oh, right. I'm Hufflepuff and in seventh year."

"Ravenclaw, seventh year," Kerri said. They nodded at the Head girl.

"I'm Jamie Johnson, seventh year, Gryffindor." Jamie looked around the group with a non-committal shrug.

"Samantha Newburg, seventh year, Gryffindor." Samantha grinned easily at the group.

They went on and on until they got to the sixth year prefects. "Remus Lupin."

Remus looked tired. He sounded tired. His grey eyes were flecked with yellow and his face was lined. A bruise was creeping from under his collar. "Gryffindor, sixth year."

"What happened to your neck?" a fifth year girl asked.

Remus smiled slightly, "I fell and rolled over a huge rock."

There was a hiss of empathetic pain. Kerri finally said, "Well, we should go on."

"Lily Evans, Gryffindor, sixth year," Lily said. She tried to catch Remus' eye, but couldn't.

"Severus Snape, Slytherin, sixth year," Snape sneered out.

"Adair Mulciber, Slytherin, sixth year." Adair was a dark young woman who resembled Snape slightly. Lily thought that she had heard they were distant cousins, or related through marriage to each other. She couldn't remember which.

"Rea Cunningham, Ravenclaw, sixth year." Rea resembled her brother closely. They both had the sharp features and dark skin and hair.

There were other people, but Lily stopped listening, not really caring who else was there. She knew them all anyway. It didn't really matter that she wasn't listening.

Instead she contemplated Remus. Was he lying about the rock, or did he really fall on his neck as a… Remus glanced at her and smiled slightly. Last night had been the full moon, so maybe it was true. She winced.

Lily remembered because she hadn't been able to sleep. Instead she had stared into the sky thinking about Hogwarts and escaping from Petunia.

Petunia had been especially bad this summer, her snide comments more biting then ever before. Their parents had been out more often, and Lily had found no way to escape from her older sister. Petunia was getting married in the summer. Lily didn't know him, but all Petunia would do was make fun of Lily and gush about Vernon. When Lily had seen pictures she had seen a fat man with no neck and dark hair. "He looks like a pig." Lily had muttered on day.

Having said that, Petunia had asked her to do better. The sad thing was, Lily thought, she probably couldn't.

A bony finger went into her side. On reflex Lily grabbed it and bent it backwards, but Snape pulled out of her grasp before she could inflict real pain to him.

"Get out of my way you filthy little—"

Lily got up and walked away before he could finish his sentence, having no interest in talking to Snape.

* * *

James and Sirius had found Peter Pettigrew, and they were waiting for Remus to appear. It was taking longer than usual and James elected to go out and look for their friend. Sirius and Peter were wrapped up in a game of exploding snap.

Several people said hello to him as he walked towards the front of the train. He nodded and smiled politely. The Slytherins avoided him and, in general, James avoided them. He didn't want an excuse to get into Lily's bad side any more. Well, the only person that it would be terrible to see at the moment would be Snape.

And there he was, walking down the hall, hooked nose and greasy haired. The hairs on the back of James' neck rose. Snape's hand was already on his wand. James pulled out his own wand.

"Snape," James spat.

"Get out of my way, Potter."

"You're in my way," James said with narrowed eyes.

They brought their wands up at the same moment and faced each other.

"James," a tired voice said from behind Snape. "Leave it, James."

"Moony, how was your summer?"

"I saw you two days ago, you dolt. Get your wand away from Snape and come with me."

"I can't quite yet, Moony."

"That's right, run away coward," Snape sneered.

Remus sighed and walked right through the confrontation, dragging James behind him. "James, give it up."

"He was…"

"And now he's not," Remus said opening the compartment where Sirius and Peter were still playing exploding snap.

"Moony!" Sirius cried without looking up. "Good to see you. You look wonderful."

"Glad to know," Remus said falling into a seat. He closed his eyes and leant against the wall. "Now be quiet while I sleep."

"You don't need us to be quiet!" Sirius said as the cards exploded. "That was so on your turn, Peter."

Peter nodded sadly and collected the cards. His watery blue eyes were calculating something as he shuffled his deck, but no one noticed as Sirius slipped next to Remus and touched the bruise on his neck.

"Ow," Remus complained.

"Remus!" James snapped. "You pulled me away from Snape. I could've cursed him to Christmas, and then he would have been in even more pain." Sirius laughed. Remus sighed and opened his grey eyes.

"And have Lily Evans walk up and find you doing that? I know how much she matters to you. If you're trying to change your behavior so you aren't so big-headed, then you can't go about cursing Snape whenever you see him."

"He was going to curse me."

Remus rolled his eyes. "Sirius get your hand off of my bruise." Sirius took his hand off of the bruise and slipped onto the floor again. Peter handed him a deck and Sirius riffled through it.

"Urgh, Peter, can you shuffle at all?"

"I shuffled quite well; you might not have a good hand," Peter replied.

"Come off it, Wormtail, you can't shuffle."

"No, you just have a bad hand," Remus said, leaning over his friends shoulder to look at his cards.

"Shurrup, Moony," Sirius muttered shuffling the cards around.

James looked at Peter's hand. "Evenly matched. All the good cards are in the deck."

"Prongs!" Peter cried, covering his cards. "Don't tell Sirius the game."

The cards suddenly exploded in Sirius' hand. "Ahhh!" Sirius cried out. He opened his hand to look at the cards. "They shouldn't explode in your hand."

"But there's a warning on the box that says they might," Peter said, pushing the tin case over to Sirius.

"Argh," Sirius said. "I have to shuffle then." He grabbed the cards, his blue eyes intense as he bridged them. James sat back to watch, his hazel eyes amused.

"Sirius, you trying out for the team this year?" James asked.

Sirius rolled his eyes. "You've asked me that about ten times this summer. I'm thinking about it." He pushed the cards around in their pile before dealing them out.

"Remus?"

"I can't, the schedule conflicts with the full moon too often," Remus said.

James sighed. "Wish you could, you're an excellent beater. Peter?"

"I could never match up to any of you. I think not." Peter said.

"Oh come on Pete, you could—"

"No, I don't think I will."

That ended the discussion about it, but it didn't stop James from bugging them for the rest of the train ride.

James was the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, top Chaser in the Hogwarts league. Scouts were already looking at him for England's team. Remus was probably the best beater at Hogwarts, but due to unfortunate circumstances, he was unable to do anything for a three day period at the full moon.

* * *

Lily found the compartment with her group of friends quickly. Jolene Alexandria, Rea Cunningham, and Ava Livington looked up as she entered the compartment.

"Lils! You're here finally!" Jolene said jumping up. Lily smiled at her best friend.

"Hello, Jo, Rea, Ava."

Rea smiled and said quietly "Hello."

Ava grinned and hugged Lily. "What took you so long? Rea got her really quickly…"

"I had to check that my bag got on the train. I didn't have time to check that it did."

Jolene ushered her into a seat and they settled down for a talk about their summers.

"What did you do, Rea?" Lily asked.

"We went to Cornwall. It's very pretty down there," Rea said quietly. She was always quiet.

"I wish we had gone somewhere. I had to spend the whole time with Petunia sighing over Vernon Dursley, her fiancé." Lily made a face. "She's twenty and getting married already. I can't image being married at twenty."

"Are you invited to the wedding?" Jolene asked.

"Unfortunately yes. Mum insisted that I was invited. It's at the end of the school year, so I'll be off the train to a wedding," Lily said. "What did you do with your summer, Ava? You seem tanned."

"My parents sent me to Greece."

"And you didn't invite me?" Lily said sarcastically.

"I would've if I could've, but you know how my parents are. I didn't want to push it with asking for other people to come." Ava smiled. "It was so lovely out there."

"Lucky." Lily sighed. "I wish I had gone to Greece."

"The men down there are positively delicious," Ava said with a grin.

"Bet their everything compared to Americans."

"How was America, Jo?" Lily asked.

Jolene made a face. "Horrible. It's so much stickier over there and we did all the museums, again. I mean, it's not like we don't go back every year. And my cousins are so evil forcing me to do a British accent and being all British. It's so annoying."

"Aw, honey, I should have brought a Greek guy back for you," Ava said.

"The guys were okay over there, though," Jolene said with a grin.

"Who did you meet?" Lily asked.

"No one particularly special. They just have some very nice blokes over there. In New England that is. I couldn't tell you about the other states and regions." Jolene grinned at her friends' reactions. Jolene's mother and father were both American, but they had moved to England for her father's job. Every summer they went to visit relatives. The last time Jolene had been in New England, however, was when she was seven.

"Do tell, Jo," Ava said.

"Yeah, what're they like?" Rea asked.

Lily smiled as Jolene began to tell them.

* * *

The fields they were passing were getting wilder and wilder and the light was fading. Lily occasionally stuck her head out of the door and looked up and down, checking for troublemakers. But if there were any, they were staying away from Lily's compartment.

A few times she and Rea got up and walked up and down, just to make sure, but most of the time they stayed in their compartment, talking and catching up.

It was dark by the time the Hogwarts Express pulled up at the Hogsmeade Station. The platform was a mess of students. The new game keeper, Rubeus Hagrid, loomed over the heads of the students calling to them, "Firs' years! Firs' years o'er here."

Lily helped direct the first years towards the huge man. Hagrid, as everyone called him, was twice as tall as a normal man and equally wider. Though he looked slightly mad, he was kind and gentle with no temper to speak of. Lily had made friends with him when she was a first year. He had only just become the head game keeper, as the old one had refused to resign, and Hagrid was already doing all the work that he would have done as the head game keeper in the first place.

Lily waved to him as she noticed two second years fighting about something. She hurried over to them as they started to push at each other.

"What happened?" Lily asked, grabbing both by their robes.

"He stole my rat!" the boy complained. On his robes was his badge, and on the badge there was a badger and an "H" for Hufflepuff House.

Lily turned to the other boy, whose badge, with the silver serpent and the green "S," proclaimed him as a Slytherin. "Where's the rat?"

"I didn't!" the boy squeaked indignantly, his voice cracking and ruining the effect.

"What do you think you're doing, Evans?" it was a Slytherin fifth year prefect. Lily couldn't remember his name. _I should've paid attention_. He had pale skin and dark hair, with piercing blue eyes.

"I'm settling an argument."

"Reynolds is in my house, I can settle it." Someone jostled against the fifth year's arm. "Oy!" he turned and then stopped when he saw Sirius Black hurrying on wards. An expression of… Lily couldn't place the expression, it was pain and fear and hatred.

"I can settle this argument," Lily said coolly. "Reynolds, give Bagman the rat back."

"I didn't!"

"You put him in your pocket!" Bagman cried.

"I did not!" Reynolds cried.

"Do I have to turn out your pockets?" Lily asked.

"Evans, you aren't—"

"Go to other business," Lily said, looking up, her emerald eyes glittering. "I can settle this argument."

The blue eyes narrowed. "Mudblood," he hissed before walking away. Lily sighed. Mudblood was a terrible insult. It was used for Muggle-born witches and wizards in a diminutive way. Lily couldn't care less, as she hadn't grown up with the term, but after five years of hearing it, it was getting annoying.

"Reynolds, the rat," she said holding out a hand. The other one was still holding on to the boy's robes.

"Fine." Reynolds reached into his pocket and handed a rat to Bagman. "I won it fair and square."

"No. You cheated," Bagman cried.

"Go different ways to the carriages. Now, or I'll report you to a teacher for gambling," Lily said. Throwing glares at each other Reynolds and Bagman walked away from each other.

Lily found Jolene, Rea and Ava in a horseless carriage and joined them. She made a face as she sat down. "Second years fighting about a rat. They were gambling, but I didn't know until after the argument was settled. Rea, who's the fifth year Slytherin prefect?"

"Which one?"

"The guy one."

"Regulus Black," Rea replied making a face. "Nasty fellow."

"Black, is he related Sirius Black?" Lily asked. She felt stupid. She knew this already, but for some reason she didn't want the girls to know about her friendship with Remus. it had been going so well. Remus was always talking about Sirius and sometimes Regulus would come up in the conversation. She had never really looked for him though.

"Of course," Ava put in. "Sirius is the odd ball of the Black family. Haven't you heard about them?"

"I don't follow Black's life," Lily said.

"The Blacks are definitely on the Dark side of the law. They say Regulus is joining with the Dark Lord," Ava said. "Of course, I have no idea what's true and what's not, rumors are everywhere though."

"But Sirius is in Gryffindor?"

"Oh, he ran away over the summer. He's camped out with the Potters. Sirius isn't for the Dark Arts," Ava alleged.

With a small frown Lily considered this; Remus hadn't written her over the summer to tell her that... The carriage came to a stop outside Hogwarts and they jumped out and up the stairs. All thoughts of Sirius' family were pushed from her mind for the time being.

* * *

James looked at the staff table. Flitwick, the Charms Professor, a tiny little man, was talking enthusiastically to the potions teacher, Professor Salsus. Salsus was a young woman in her mid-twenties from France with a sharp tongue. Next to her was Professor Sprout, the Herbology instructor, who was talking to Professor Excido, head of the Slytherin house and Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Then there was Professor McGonagall's empty seat. The strict Transfiguration teacher was greeting the first years. Dumbledore sat at the center of the table, his beard glowing and his blue eyes sparkling.

A sudden hush fell over the room as McGonagall entered carrying a three legged stool and a rather old hat. She placed the hat on the stool as the first years came in. There was a silence until a rip in the brim of the hat opened and it began to sing.

_Oh many, many years ago_

_There lived four great wizards_

_Who on this land did bestow_

_A great gift, of great renowned_

_It was a school for the young_

_A school for those gifted with magic_

_And from this school sprung_

_Many great minds_

_For years and years_

_The four founders did divide_

_The peers_

_To a separate house for each_

_For Gryffindor, only the brave_

_Did he admit_

_For Slytherin, the grave_

_And the cunning_

_For Ravenclaw, the bright_

_With eager minds for learning_

_And dear Hufflepuff, without a fight_

_Did take the rest into her house_

_And for many years they worked in peace_

_Not a care for the outside world_

_But the founders did know they would cease_

_And have no way of dividing the students_

_They thought and thought_

_Of a solution to their problem_

_And Gryffindor caught_

_Me off his head and gave them an answer_

_So they put some brains in me_

_And let me decide_

_And let me see_

_Where you should go_

_So put me on your head_

_Don't be afraid_

_From this I'll spread_

_You into the houses four_

Applause sounded through the hall and the McGonagall stepped forward. "I will call out your name and you will come forward, put on the hat and be sorted. Ackerley, Kissa."

James' stomach growled and he tuned out the rest of the sorting, waiting for the food to appear on the great platters before him. He concentrated very hard on the food appearing, hoping that he might be able to get it to come early.

It didn't work.

* * *

Lily picked at her dinner. She wasn't really hungry anyway. She was never very hungry, really. She ate because she knew it was good for her, but tonight she felt more tired than anything else. Her mind was in a whirl from being back at school. The summer was over…at last.

Yawning widely, Lily looked up at the head table. Dumbledore was rising and the crumbs were leaving the golden plates.

"Welcome, welcome to another year at Hogwarts. I hope all of your summers were agreeable and sunny. While in South America it seemed to rain more than it does here."

Laughter filled the hall and Dumbledore smiled over his half-moon spectacles.

"Well, a few start of term notices. First years will note that the Forbidden Forest is, as the name would suggest, forbidden. Argus Filch, our caretaker, has taken over full time this year. Rubeus Hagrid also had taken over as gamekeeper. We hope our old helpers live long and happily, and please welcome our new helpers."

Lily grinned at her big friend.

"Last year we lost some great Quidditch players, but we hope to get some new talent at the Quidditch tryouts during the first week of October. If you have any questions contact James Potter, Garrick Ackart, Edward Van Alsttyne, or Anne Sullivan, who are the Quidditch Team captains."

A girl at the Hufflepuff table looked up sharply and went pale. Several people grinned at her. Other's patted her on the back.

"The prefects this year are doing something different for our Halloween feast, so look out for announcements from them. And now you all seem tired. First years to your prefects and off to bed with you all."

There was a quiet roar as everyone got up and began moving away from the Great Hall. Lily stood up and yelled "First years!" Remus joined her. Elijah Scarborough, a fifth year prefect, hurried over to Lily. She, Jamie and Samantha began gathering the first years.

"Right, I think we've got them all," Kern Pepin said. Elijah nodded and they turned to look at the thirty-six frightened first years.

"Hello, I'm Samantha Newburg. I'm the seventh year prefect for the girls."

"Jamie Johnson, seventh year for the boys."

"Lily Evans, sixth year girls," Lily said.

"Remus Lupin," Remus said rubbing his eyes and yawning. "Sixth year."

"And tired," Lily added. Remus smiled and the first years seemed to relax a little.

"Elijah Scarborough, fifth year boys." Elijah grinned at the first years. "Hey, it's not too bad. Wasn't the sorting painless?"

"I dunno, the hat was kind of tight on me," one of the first years said.

They all laughed.

"I'm Kern Pepin, fifth year girls," Kern said when the laughter died down.

"We're your prefects. If you have any problems, concerns, anything, come to us. If someone gets sick, come and get me or Jamie. We're the top dogs in the prefect ranks," Samantha said.

"You'll probably get lost on your first day," Jamie started.

"First week," Remus said.

"First year," Elijah said.

"Don't worry about it, everyone gets lost. The castle's always changing. Staircases move, people in portraits move, you'll notice, but really the most important route is getting from Gryffindor Tower down the kitchens—I mean Great Hall." Jamie grinned at the first years. "Come on, we'll show you the best route. Six people to a prefect, go to the one you want and they'll be your mentor for your first year."

The first years came up and chose their prefects. Lily had six girls. Julia Wallock, Leola Allsburg, Genevieve Eberlee, Jennelle Dunstan, Caroline Lawley and Willow Denton gathered around her. "Hello, girls," Lily said as she tried to fix their names in her mind. "Shall we head up then?"

They nodded and Lily led them out of the Great hall. She wasn't looking where she was going when she opened the door, and ran straight into James Potter.

"Get out of—oh, Evans and the ikkle firsties," James said doing an almost perfect impression of Peeves, the poltergeist.

"Get out of my way, Potter," Lily snapped.

"Are the ikkle firsties scared of a big sixth year?"

Lily pushed him out of her way forcibly. "Come along and ignore the bastard Potter."

James stared after her as the first years giggled. "There'll be hell to pay for that Evans," he whispered. "Hell to pay."

* * *

Lily entered her dormitory and fell onto her bed. The Gryffindor colors were everywhere. Her cloak was hanging over a chair; robes neatly lay on the seat, with the Gryffindor scarf of red and gold. The curtains on her bed were scarlet and the trim all around was gold. Lily felt like she had never left.

The other girls were brushing their teeth and combing their hair and doing other necessary things, but Lily just wanted to go to bed. She slipped off her robes and then opened her trunk, pulling out her nightgown. It was soft and smelled faintly of crushed lavender.

Her mother had packed her trunk while Lily had been doing last minute errands with her father. Little flowers of lavender from her garden were scatters in the trunk. They reminded Lily fiercely of home. With a sigh she slipped the nightgown over her head and went to brush her teeth.

She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed again. Her red hair was loose and wavy. It frizzed around her face and looked knotty. Too tired to care too much about her hair, Lily stared at her pale face, covered by a few freckles and her almond shaped green eyes. She spat out her toothpaste and rinsed. Without a glance at the mirror, Lily went back to her bed.

She slipped into bed and closed the curtains around her four poster. Sleep came swiftly and she began to dream. It was an odd dream where she was either dancing with James Potter or with Sirius Black. Jolene moved in between them, her face covered in tears.

* * *

It was six fifty two. Eight minutes until Lily would appear. James waited in the common room. He was sitting in the chair closest to the fire, arms spread out along the back, and entirely invisible. At least he would be for eight minutes and thirty two seconds more. He didn't want to be visible when Lily appeared.

Seven minutes and twenty seconds.

Seven minutes and ten seconds.

James had never noticed the way the paintings (seven minutes) in the common room were not of people. It was odd.

Six minutes and fifty seconds.

There was a scratch on his watch, grabbing the corner of his robes he rubbed at it.

Six minutes and thirty seconds.

Did he read his watch wrong? Oh shit, he was reading it four minutes slow. Which meant—the invisibility charm on him flickered and died. Swearing profusely James dived behind a big couch as the last ten seconds of time he before—

A loud scream echoed down the girl's staircase. A livid Lily entered the common room covered in a sticky orange substance. James couldn't help himself. He began to roll around on the floor in convulsions of laughter.

"JAMES POTTER!" Lily shrieked, pulling out her wand. "WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"

"Orange juice," James said, calming enough to notice her wand. With a quick grin he darted out of the common room.

He was still laughing at the image of Lily Evans covered in orange juice when he entered the Great Hall. He was greeted by six first year girls throwing their orange juice at him.

Even his quick reflexes didn't save him. He was soaked. His laughter stopped and James stared at the six girls who were eating and chatting together. "Now wait just a minute!" James said walking up to them.

Water was poured all over his head. "Don't talk to my girls, Potter," Lily said primly. She was immaculate. Her robes, which had been soaked, were pristine and her hair was curling softly on her shoulders, very much dry.

"What was that for, Evans?" he cried.

"Orange juice is very hard to get out. I'm sure you wouldn't know that, though."

Lily fluttered her eyelashes at him and walked away. The six Gryffindor girls grinned at each other before bursting into a fit of giggles.

* * *

The day had begun with five liters of orange juice falling on her head. Most would say it was a bad way to start the day. Lily was inclined to agree.

Lily thought it was a good omen for the year though.

After all, she had then managed to get back at James. Plus, it was still early in the day. And she had obviously been very kind to her first years, as they had, without being asked, drenched James in orange juice.

With a smile on her face Lily began to butter some toast. Sirius Black slipped into the seat opposite her and smiled drowsily in her direction. He poked several sausages onto his plate and added some bacon to the pile before pouring himself a cup of juice. Lily frowned.

"All that meat with give you a heart attack," she said.

"Ah well, you only live once," Sirius said taking a bite out of his bacon. "I don't expect to live past forty anyway."

"What?" Lily stared at Sirius. "Why not?"

"My family will probably kill me so that Reg—" Sirius yawned and scratched his chin, "—ulus won't have to share the property. My mother's tried poisoning me twice already. Not to mention two of my aunts putting snakes in my room when I was three." Sirius scratched behind his ear. Lily stared at him.

"Surely your family doesn't want you dead though," Lily said, aghast.

"'Course they do. I'm all for the good side, and they're completely on the opposite side of the scale. That's why I didn't go home this summer. Don't plan on heading the twelve Grimmauld place ever again."

"But—"

"Ms. Evans, your schedule."

"Thank you, Professor." Lily accepted the sixth year schedule. She made a face seeing her first subject was Herbology with the Ravenclaws.

"Yech," Sirius muttered. "Herbology."

"You're still taking Herbology? I'd think that you would have dropped it," Lily said. "You never seemed to like the class."

"I got full marks on the test so Professor Sprout insists that I continue taking it." Sirius sighed. "Bloody bat."

Lily shook her head. "Professor Sprout is a sweet woman. Her knowledge is so extensive, I can't image the kind of person who will take over her job."

Frank Longbottom and Alice Pettigrew slipped into the seats next to Lily and muttered hellos. Alice was in Hufflepuff, but she and Frank had been going together for over three years now. One was never seen without the other. Lily smiled at the happy couple. She couldn't imagine finding the right person at age thirteen, though.

Peter Petigrew, Sirius Black's friend and Alice's cousin, appeared and started towards the table. James was close behind him, clean now.

She was done with her toast so she said goodbye to Sirius and smiled at Frank. Alice had her back to Lily.

It wasn't until she reached the front door that Lily realized that she had had a pleasant conversation with Sirius Black. She stopped and looked back at the Great Hall. He was tired. She thought. That must explain it.

* * *

James sighed. Peter looked at him from across the room. "What?"

"I have Herbology first," James said.

"I have Muggle Studies first."

"Ouch," James considered his schedule. "I can't believe you didn't drop it."

"I was going to, but then Professor Tealther told me that if I dropped I might lose a very good chance at a job in the ministry. You know how mum is about the ministry. So mum forced me to take Muggle Studies. I never really liked Herbology, anyway."

James sighed. "Ah well, you'll miss all the fun."

"Remus is with me."

"Remus dropped Herb?"

"No, he's just taking the N.E.W.T. Herbology class."

James rolled his eyes. "He'll be Head Boy and leave us in the dust."

"You know Dumbledore doesn't choose the smartest people for Head Boy and Girl, otherwise Ravenclaws would always be getting it," Peter said. "Come on, we have to get to class." Peter picked up his bag and James jumped off his bed. They left the common room and walked to the Great Hall. James went out of the front door and Peter went down a corridor to the right.

The wide sweeping Hogwarts lawn was beautiful to behold. It was as green as—as—Lily's eyes.

…

Or something equally as green. James couldn't think of anything that was quite the same shade of green except Lily's eyes. Or maybe every shade of green looked like her eyes.

_Maybe Sirius is right when he says I need to find a new obsession_. He thought as he crossed by the lake where the giant squid was basking in the light. The greenhouses where Herbology was taught came into view and James began to jog, seeing he was a bit late. He caught up just in time to squeeze through the door. Lily was just in front of him.

It was dark inside the greenhouse. A spell had darkened the windows to give the plants proper shading.

"Hello," Professor Sprout said quietly. She was a plump woman, rather short, with fly away brown hair. "We will be studying a very interesting plant today. It's sleeping right now and I don't want to wake it up, but when I pair you all off, I'll wake it up and you will be pruning it. It's quite simple, just cut off the brown and yellow leaves."

Lily put her hand in the air. "Excuse me, Professor, but what exactly are we pruning?"

"We are pruning a Sleeping Snap Dragon," Professor Sprout said. "Can anyone tell me the properties of a Sleeping Snap Dragon?"

Lily's hand was first up. "Yes, Ms. Evans?"

"The Dragon has a head and fangs. From the fangs there is a fluid that is used in truth telling potions. It's the most potent form of the athian species."

"Excellent, take five points for Gryffindor." Lily smiled. "Yes, as Ms. Evans said, the fluid from the 'head' of the 'dragon' is quite potent. In order for the plant to produce the fluid, however, it must be pruned and carefully looked after. Now I'll come around and pair you up."

James tried to find Sirius, but he was at the front of the room talking to Jolene Alexandria, a chaser on his team, and oblivious to James' frantic motions.

Professor Sprout began to move among them, giving out pairs.

Lily, too, it seemed, was anxious to get Jolene's attention. A Ravenclaw girl looked over at her and waved. Lily groaned as the girl was paired with a Gryffindor with black hair. Professor Sprout reached her and smiled.

"Ah, Ms. Evans, please work with Mr. Potter." She moved on before Lily could say anything.

"Work with Potter?" she whispered, looking for some comfort. Jolene was safely working with Sirius. James groaned.

"Well, Lily, seems like we're working together," James said sauntering over and grinning.

"Oh, fuck off," Lily snapped.

"I don't see why you're so mean to me, Lily," James said, dropping the smile. "I've never done anything to you."

"Never done—what was this morning?" Lily sputtered, her green eyes flashing.

James considered her point. It was true that he particularly liked pranking Lily. But still, it was always a joke.

Professor Sprout was at the head of the class again. She clapped her hands and then said, "Careful now, I'm about to wake the plant." With a swish and flick of her wand she muttered a word. The lights went up and there was a scream.

Suddenly they all saw the plant. It went several times around the room and seemed to have no roots at all. It was a stem that went on and on, as thick as James' waist and bright fierce green (The same color as Lily's eyes when she's about to scream at me.) little leaves came off of the side at intervals. Their stems to the plant were as thick as James' middle finger. The leaves, huge and broad. Lily moved forward and gently touched one of the yellowing leaves. James followed behind her.

"To remove a leaf you have to place a square around the base of the stem and have someone else pull it away, otherwise you will cause the plant to convulse and cause it pain," Professor Sprout said. "I'm afraid it might strangle a few of you in the process, so be very careful."

While Professor Sprout was talking, the plant had begun to move. Very slowly, it seemed to be coiling and moving away from the light (or trying to find cover). Professor Sprout gently stroked it and it stopped moving, shuddering in what James thought was pleasure.

"If it starts to move too much just stroke it gently and continue when it's calmed. Right, let's get started."

The class looked at the plant before rolling up their sleeves and moving towards various parts of the plant. James and Lily moved in different directions.

"There are more leaves over there," Lily hissed.

"Exactly. I don't want to do more work," James said.

"We're doing this for a class. The more we finish, the better our grade."

"It's all about grades to you; don't you understand that we're here to learn?"

James ran a hand through his hair, though unlike other times, it was just out of annoyance.

Lily glared at him. "You think you're so cool, cutting classes, doing everything half-arsed, if you don't do it well and properly the first time—"

"I'm tired of you telling me what's wrong with me. I think I know by now."

"Then why don't you change?"

James stared at her.

"I have."

"Oh, so much. I've barely noticed anything that's changed about you."

"But something has, as you said, you barely noticed. It implies that something has changed."

Lily went red. "Stop playing with my words."

"I will if you go out with me." James could have slapped himself. He knew how annoyed she got when he asked her. He also liked the way her face went redder and redder until she either stormed off or yelled at him. He would enjoy seeing her fail at something in Herbology.

"I wouldn't go out with you if you were the last man alive," Lily spat.

"Why would you go out with me?" James asked.

Lily stared at him. "I wouldn't go out with you unless it was in a way to get you laughed at."

"Well, I can arrange for that."

Lily could have slapped herself. she shouldn't have given him a way to get her. "Get me in America and give me the right light and then we'll see." She snapped. At least now he didn't know what the "right light" was and he'd never get her in America. Ever.

"I think I might," James said, nodding to her and turning around.

"WHAT?" Lily squeaked. "You have to stay here and help me prune this plant!"

"No, I don't. We can both fail for today." James didn't turn around as he walked out. Now, how to get her in America with the right light…

James walked towards the lake without thinking about it. He was trying to come up with a way to get Lily to go to America when he bumped into his least favorite person at Hogwarts.

Severus Snape.

"What are you doing out here Snape?" James asked.

"That's none of your affair." Snape's gaze was at a rather ugly tree that was a little way off from the Forbidden Forest. The Whomping Willow. James felt sweat forming on his lip. Snape was looking into it again, that couldn't be good. _Slimy git._

"Get out of my way, Potter," Snape spat.

"You bumped into me!" James cried, he reached into his pokect. He had to distract Snape, keep him away from the tree. And cursing him wouldn't be too bad.

"I did not bump into you, you walked into me. Get your head out of the clouds, if you have any brain left to—"

James had his wand directed at Snape. Snape, equally quick, pointed his own at James.

"I'm faster at spells—"

"Expelli—"

"OY!" A voice yelled over the lawn. James and Snape looked up to see the new caretaker… Argus Filch, coming down the lawn. "You aren't allowed to duel unless given special permission by Dumbledore or one of the teachers." Filch had watery yellow eyes and stringy brown hair.

James noticed the cat at his feet, who shared her master's eyes. He took an immediate dislike to the thin animal.

"You'll be coming up to the castle now. With me." Filch seemed to take pleasure in bringing them up to the castle and forcing them the long way around to his office. James sighed as they passed a passage that would bring them straight to where the old caretaker's office was. But they didn't go there.

Instead they went down through the dungeons, and then back up a small staircase that looked like it would fall under the weight of the cat, let alone three people. But, as all things in Hogwarts were, it was held up magically. Neither James nor Snape cringed as they walked up it. They didn't see Filch gingerly make his way up behind them.

They walked down the corridor and then up a flight of stairs to the Charms corridor. James sighed, knowing that they could have cut off ten minutes by taking a passage in the front hall.

Down the Charms corridor and through a door at the end, through a huge chamber and then down some stairs into a smaller corridor. James knew Hogwarts better then anyone else at the school, well, he, Sirius, Remus and Peter did, and he was now lost. But Filch knew exactly where he was going as he pushed them up a another rickety staircase and then down another corridor and finally into a small office. Chains hung from the ceiling and the desk was a clutter.

Filch, his eyes alight, darted around the room. He pulled a few papers from the piles around the office. He sat and withdrew a quill from the desk drawer. It was long and black and rather sinister looking.

"Names?" he barked at them.

"James Potter," Severus Snape said.

"Severus Snape," James said, with a glare at Snape.

Filch looked at them. "Don't name each other," he snapped.

"James Potter." James said, rolling his eyes.

"Severus Snape," Snape replied.

"Crimes... dueling on school grounds, impersonating another student, smart mouthing a teacher—"

"You aren't a teacher!" James cried.

"Talking back." Filch licked his non-existent lips and looked at James triumphantly.

"Don't try and get around me, boy."

James stared at the man. He was happy to be getting them into more trouble. He wanted Lightoff back. Lightoff might have been strict, but at least he didn't take pleasure in giving out punishments.

"Suggested punishment—" James groaned silently. Argus Filch was going to get in the way this year. A lot.

* * *

Lily left Herbology seething. She had gotten a zero on her first day. She had tried to explain to Professor Sprout that James left, meaning that she couldn't prune the plant at all, but Professor Sprout had to go deal with a small crisis (someone had pulled a leaf out without their partner and the plant was beginning to wrap around the girl's hand).

Lily had stormed out of the class at that point, looking for James, ready to murder him. Her path brought her around the lake and to the edge of the Forbidden Forest. A small wooden house stood nearby. A huge pair of galoshes that were extremely muddy sat just outside the door.

Lily decided not to go on her rampage and to go and visit Hagrid in what was left of the class time. She moved towards the house and rapped on the door. There was a loud bark and several yips as the door opened. "No!" a gruff voice said. A huge foot appeared in the crack, effectively blocking the way of a small boarhound puppy.

"Hello, Hagrid," Lily said.

"Lily Evans, yeh came ter see me." Hagrid frowned. "Don't yeh have class?"

"I do, but I er… can I explain it to you inside?" Lily asked.

"Oh, right." Hagrid backed up slightly. "Careful, they're just starting ter run around."

Lily entered quickly and shut the door behind her. The puppies ran at her ankles and jumped up. She smiled and knelt down. "Did Holly have puppies?"

"Yeah," Hagrid said with a huge smile. "Aren't they beau'iful?"

Lily usually lied when Hagrid asked this question. But then again, it was usually about a dangerous creature that might bite her head off. "They are beautiful," Lily said, tugging at a bone that one of the puppies had brought to her.

Holly, the mother, appeared, her tail wagging fiercely. She trotted to Lily and began slobbering on her robes. Lily scratched behind the older dog's ears. The puppies whined at her.

"Cup o' tea?" Hagrid asked, moving over to the fire.

"Yes, please."

"Now, are ye going ter explain what happened?"

Lily sighed and looked at her feet. "It's really my fault. I got into a fight with Potter during Herbology."

"James Potter?" Hagrid swung the arm where a metal kettle was hanging out over the fire towards him. He carefully pulled it off the hook and poured the boiling water into a tea pot. "The Quidditch cap'n?"

"Yeah, him." Lily moved over to the table, trailing the six dogs.

"Yeh hate him, don't yeh?" Hagrid asked, pulling two rather chipped mugs down from a shelf.

"I don't know anymore. He said some things that really got to me. Like that I keep telling him what's wrong with him." Hagrid passed her a mug. Holly rested her head on Lily's lap, and Lily continued to scratch the dog behind her ears.

"Has he changed at all?" Hagrid asked, settling down and taking a gulp of his tea.

"I haven't really been looking for changes. I mean, I guess…" Lily stopped herself. "No. Not at all."

Hagrid didn't say anything, but looked at her with a knowing expression. Lily didn't meet his eye as she began her tea. She knew what he was thinking, and the thing was, she didn't know if it was true or not.

* * *

One of the things about detention that James hated the most was missing what his friends were doing. The first night, for example, Sirius, Remus and Peter were working on their map of Hogwarts while James went to McGonagall for detention.

"Have fun, James," Sirius said with a grin. He held up a small hand mirror and James grinned too. At least he could watch what they were doing now.

He got to the Transfiguration corridor before he realized that he had forgotten his mirror. Now he would be stuck not knowing what his friends were doing with the map. He couldn't go back because he was going to be late as it was. He hurried into McGonagall's office sheepishly.

"Potter," she said, her lips pressed together.

"Sorry, Professor, got lost, Peeves."

McGonagall was no fool. She knew that James and his friends knew the school better than anyone else.

"You are no longer a first year, Mr. Potter. You can't use that excuse anymore, as I have told you since your second year."

James sighed. "You know, Professor—"

"Enough, or you'll talk my ear off all night and you'll have to come again." James shut up. "You'll be cleaning the desks in seven different classrooms and putting the notes on the boards. The notes can be done by magic, because I know what you do with chalk, but the tables you will be using this—" from thin air a bucket and some rags appeared "—to clean the desks."

James stared at her. "But, Professor—"

"Get to it, Mr. Potter, or you'll be here all night."

Defeated, James slumped out of the room, bucket in hand. Growling about unfair punishment, he entered the first classroom. It was the first years' Transfiguration classroom. The desks were covered with small notes in ink and scratches. James made a face. He swore he had never written on the desks.

Well, until he came to the seat that had been his. An 'LE' surrounded by a heart and some scrawled notes to Sirius were enough for him to remember. He swore after the first room that he hadn't written on the desks in second year.

Again he was proven wrong. He was sitting next to Lily that year. She had written something about him having a huge head and needing to stop thinking he was the best simply because he had gotten on the Quidditch team. He had replied with snide comments about redheads.

James decided that he should give up and just say he remembered writing notes to Remus on the desk in third year. He found them. Most of them were about becoming Animagi and how he was dolt for not realizing—the words were scrapped out and a note from Remus was underneath them. YOU IDIOT!

Fourth year he sat next to Jolene and the notes were mostly about who would be captain next year. They were in fierce debate: Jolene swore that Denis Mercer would be the captain; James, of course, had thought himself.

Fifth year he sat next to Peter. They had talked a lot about the Animagus plans, too. And then a single note said: YES! I'VE GOT IT!

James moved on to the sixth year classroom and looked at Lily's desk. There hadn't been enough time for anyone in his class to write their own notes. There was a note to a one Catherine Docut, reminding her of an Arithmancy equation. Kat Louis had scrawled in a FL KL 4EVA. One Tom Riddle had written down in a different language something James couldn't read. It looked rather like snakes gathered together in pattern…. Like the sewer system.

The seventh year classroom was filled with who had fucked whom that year. James sighed as he washed over the names that might have been there for seven or more years. Gareth had done it with Julie, one of the notes proclaimed pregnancy and a marriage. There were notes about who was to come to the wedding and who was not.

Finally done, James vanished the dirty water and rags before bringing the bucket back to McGonagall.

"Good night, Professor," James said. He trudged towards Gryffindor common room. There was a soft mew and James looked down to see Filch's cat arching its back as it moved around a statue. She stared at him with yellow eyes.

"Shoo," he muttered. The cat didn't move. "Get out of here."

The cat turned and trotted off. James suddenly had a bit of paranoia. She was going to get Filch. Darting forward James dashed for the common room. He was out after hours—the portrait of the fat lady that was the entrance to Gryffindor tower was just around the corner.

The cat had reappeared and Filch was just behind her. "Ah, Mr. Potter, out of your common room after hours. I'll write you up."

James groaned. "I was just coming back from my other detention—" he started.

"And I think I'll add talking back to your crimes," Filch said. "Get to your common room."

Muttering profanities under his breath, James slipped into the common room. He glanced at his watch. It was only five minutes after nine. Grumbling about caretakers, James flopped into a chair beside Sirius.

"Hey, why didn't you call us?" Sirius asked, holding up the mirror.

"Forgot mine. Besides, wouldn't have been able to do anything with it. I was washing all the desks. Merlin, I forgot how much we wrote on them." James shook out his arms. "Tough work."

Remus smiled slightly. "Well, anything interesting you found?"

"No, other than I was right about who was going to be Quidditch captain in fourth year. Remind me to tell Jo." James pondered for a moment. "I wish I could send Filch down the tunnel to you, Moony."

Remus went pale. "You wouldn't," he whispered.

James looked at his friend. "No. No I wouldn't. Sorry for mentioning it. He's just so aggravating! I was five minutes after curfew and he gave me another detention."

Remus, somewhat calmed by James, looked at his watch. "How did he find you?"

"There's something weird about his cat. It's like she leads him to troublemakers."

"Mrs. Norris isn't a normal cat," Peter put in. "She chased me for an hour, but she didn't eat me. Tried to get Filch to notice me, but all he did was put traps down. I think she knew that I wasn't really a rat."

The four pondered it for a moment. "She could be magical…" Sirius said.

"But Filch is a Squib," Peter said. Everyone turned to stare at him.

"How do you know that, Peter?" James asked.

"I overheard him talking to one of the teachers while I was in the dungeons," Peter said, a faint sheen of sweat appearing on his pudgy face. He wasn't used to people paying this much attention to him.

"Why were you in the dungeons?" James asked.

"Getting stuff for the map," Peter replied smoothly.

"How did the map go, by the way?" The focus shifted and Peter relaxed. He didn't like people noticing him. A shadow of the other three, always their shadow.

**A/N: Review!!!**


	2. This Love

**A/N: Long time in getting these edits up. sigh yes, so here's chapter two edits, love my beta. She rocks. She's the coolest. **

**Go read her stuff. (take to the sky). **

**On a note, I was hoping to get a new chapter by June 30, but I don't think that's going to happen. I'll be gone for three weeks after that though so don't expect anything till august. Gawd. I feel terrible. **

****

**Chapter Two**

**This Love**

September passed without much event. The teachers were buckling down on the sixth year students, insisting that the N.E.W.T.s were next year and that wasn't very far away at all. James wasn't paired with Lily in any of his classes (Professor Sprout had changed his Herbology partner to Jolene and Lily's to Sirius). When James did see Lily, it was briefly behind her pile of books. Snape, too, was quiet and avoided James (James wondered what was so bad about Snape's detention that he wouldn't go near him for fear of earning another one). The only exciting thing that happened in September was a trip to the Shrieking Shack with Remus, Sirius and Peter, and even that had been subdued (Remus had become nervous suddenly, as he was prone to do in the first month of school). September was boring, mostly due to the fact that Quidditch hadn't started yet.

Quidditch (wizard sport, played on brooms) was James' passion. As the Gryffindor team captain and an excellent chaser, James was entitled to this passion. His fellow team mates, Jolene Alexandria and Denis Mercer, were not as impassioned by the sport. Jolene complained that too few women were allowed into the league, plus her American roots kicked in and said that Quidditch wasn't nearly as fun as Riffle (an American game which James knew nothing about). Denis, though he was one of the best keepers seen at Hogwarts, was more interested in reading than in grabbing the quaffle.

James constantly badgered both of them about the upcoming tryouts.

"Jolene, you ready for tryouts?" James asked one morning. Jolene looked up.

"You do know you've asked me that fifteen times already?" she asked.

"You keep track?" James asked, coming to stand behind Jolene.

Jolene pointed to the tally she had on her schedule, glad that James was behind her so he wouldn't see her blush.

"Why do you do that?" James asked. Jolene looked up into his hazel eyes and rolled hers.

"For times like these," she said, hoping she wasn't blushing too much.

"Oh dear," James said, poking her nose, in a way that a brother would to a sister, just to annoy her. "Your lovely friend appears, and so as to avoid having a terrible conflict over breakfast, I believe I shall leave you in peace."

"What brings on this avoiding Lily?" Jolene asked. James grinned.

"I talked to Sirius and he says that if I avoid her, maybe she'll forget how much of an arse I was."

"You still are!" Jolene called down the table as he walked away.

Lily slid into the seat opposite to Jolene. "What's he doing here?" she asked, shooting a glare at James.

"Oh come on, Lily, he's my friend, he can talk to me." Jolene sighed slightly.

"You don't fancy him, do you, Jolene?" Lily asked, looking at Jolene, who ducked her head to avoid her friend's eyes.

"Nope," Jolene said. Lily decided to drop the subject, they had had this conversation since fourth year and every time Jolene insisted she didn't fancy James.

Lily wasn't sure if she trusted her best friend on the topic, but she knew she wouldn't get anywhere, so dropped it.

"What was he here about then?" Lily asked.

"Quidditch, what else?" Jolene replied, drawing a line on what looked like a tally.

"When are the tryouts?" Lily asked, by way of making some sort of conversation start.

"James booked the first slot, since we have the most positions to fill, October first," Jolene said, she looked up, excited. "Thinking of trying out?"

"No, I'm very busy with—with Prefect duties and—"

"You don't like flying," Jolene finished, sighing. "You know, Lily, you really should try to face your fear of flying."

"It's not a fear really; it's more of a—a dislike of flying.'

Jolene rolled her eyes, "Sure it is."

The bell rang before Lily could reply. Lily was glad she wouldn't have to retort to that. She was running out of defensives.

* * *

"You trying out, Sirius?"

"James, I don't know how many times I've said yes," Sirius said, looking at his best friend with an annoyed expression. Sirius was (many of his teachers would have fainted at the mere mention of this) _working_ on his homework. Something had taken over Sirius in the past two weeks, making him want to work on his homework more than just making it up. James didn't quite understand this, but he knew this bout of Sirius actually working would fade out, and he would be his old, mischievous self again.

"I know, I know," James said, leaning his chair against the lines of books. He ran a hand through his hair and smiled the charming smile that could get him out of anything. "I just have to make sure you don't back out at the last minute. I've barely heard a peep out of anyone who wants to join the team. We can't afford to lose this year—"

"Because it'll be the first lose since we came to this school. I know, James, now be quiet," Sirius said. "Or tell me the origins of the story of the Grim."

"You know, Sirius, that seems to be more your area of expertise," James said.

"Well then, shut up," Sirius bent over his work again. James, he considered, was really a little boy at heart, wanting things to go his way all the time, and if they didn't… well he would make them go his way.

Sirius had often wondered, when he was thrown into fits of responsibility, if James would ever grow up. Somehow he doubted it. The likelihood of James maturing was as the likelihood of… well, Sirius and Remus going out.

The thought made Sirius chuckle.

"What?" James asked, putting all the legs of his chair on the ground again. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all."

James pouted, but Sirius didn't notice. While he was straight as a rod, Remus wasn't. Sirius could remember the day clearly when Remus had walked into James' room and announced that he had been thinking and he didn't want to lie to them anymore then he really had to…

The day had been sweltering hot. James kept on reading the thermometer and complaining.

"I can't believe it's thirty-five. It's never thirty-five." He was lying on the floor in only shorts. His stomach pressed into the carpet.

"Shurrup, James," Sirius said. He was in a puddle on the bed, still in his pajamas, though it was past twelve.

"Maybe we could go swimming down at the stream," James said.

Sirius yawned. "We could—"

There was a knock on the door. "Come in," James called. Peter had appeared, wilting into the room.

"How hot is it?" he asked, slumping into a chair.

"Thirty-five—no wait, thirty-six," James replied.

"When's Moony arriving?" Sirius asked.

"Moony is here," Remus said stepping through the door. Of the four of them, he seemed to be the least affected by the heat. He sat down in a chair, keeping his back straight as he looked at them.

"Moony, what's with you?" Sirius asked, sensing that Remus was nervous about something.

"Well, er…" Remus began. James sat up and crossed his legs, putting an arm on his knees for his head to lean on. Peter looked up and Sirius decided to sit up too. Remus went red at the sudden attention.

"What is it?" Sirius asked.

"Well you know how in third year, when you found out I'm a werewolf?" Remus asked.

"Well, lots of stuff happened that year, Moony," James said. Peter giggled slightly.

"We promised no secrets. Remember?" Remus asked, looking down at his fingers and going red.

Sirius and James looked at each other. "You've kept a secret from us," Sirius said sarcastically, "How could you?"

"It's not funny," Remus said quietly. "It's not like I've had it that long. It's just, I needed to think and make sure I was right about it and—"

"Moony, what is it?" James asked.

"Well, you see, the thing is, I prefer men over women."

There was a long silence as they all stared at him. He stared back defiantly.

"If you aren't comfortable with that, I can change my room and—"

"What are you talking about?" Sirius asked. He was shocked, yes, but Remus was one of his best friends. His heart had kicked up at the thought of Remus leaving them. He wouldn't let it happen.

James looked at Remus for a long moment more. "You can't change rooms. We're not going to hate you for this."

Remus seemed to relax slightly. "Really?" he asked quietly.

Sirius was reminded of the time in their third year when they had confronted him about being a werewolf. He swore these were the exact words they had all said.

Peter just had to say—"Yeah, why would we mind?"

Sirius chuckled slightly.

"What's so funny?" James asked, running a hand through his hair. Sirius was thrown back into the present.

"Oh, just remembering when Remus told us…" Sirius smiled as he began to write.

"What? What did he tell us?"

"That he's gay. We said the exact same words when we found out he's a werewolf." Sirius continued to write as James frowned.

"So we did," James chuckled finally. "So we did."

* * *

James was comfortable about Remus' sexuality. At least he was now. He sometimes wondered, in the following year to Remus' announcement, why he hadn't over ruled Sirius and said that Remus would have to leave their group. But fifth year had matured him, if not very much, and he soon realized that Remus was still the same Remus he was before he had informed them that he was gay.

After this realization came the sudden wondering if Remus liked _him. _At the time it seemed possible. At least to the puffed up ego that James had. This, too, had been set aside when Remus found a nice young man in Ravenclaw whom he dated (secretly) until a little over a year ago. They split up for a reason that Remus refused to tell them. Though James had his suspicions.

Confidant in the fact that Remus didn't fancy him, James had had a rather strange conversation with his friend a few days before the summer holidays.

"James, I'm wondering if you could keep a secret from Sirius." Remus slumped down beside James and pulled out his book.

James, who was taller than Remus when sitting, looked down at his sandy-haired friend.

"What kind of secret?"

Remus went red. "Did I ask you out loud?" he wondered.

James lifted a single eyebrow. "Don't change the subject, Moony. What is this secret?"

"Oh, it doesn't matter anyway," Remus said, his face growing even redder. James looked disbelieving. "It's just…. Reasons why I broke up with Evan."

"The bastard?" Sirius said appearing from down the path. Remus buried his head in his book.

"Evan wasn't a bastard," he murmured.

"Yes he was." Sirius waved off Remus and turned to James. "Let's go flying."

"I think I may pass that inviting offer up, Padfoot, I'm catching up on Moony's love life."

"Mr. Padfoot would like to know about Mr. Moony's love life as well. Has said Mr. Moony found a nice young man, after the bastard?" Sirius sighed, sitting beside Remus.

"Mr. Moony may have found a young man, but he is in no way nice, nor is he available to Mr. Moony. Mr. Moony would also like to remind Mr. Padfoot that Evan was not a bastard and still is not, no matter how much Mr. Padfoot hates him," Remus said, taking his head from his book.

"What does Mr. Prongs think of this horrid breaking of our contract for no secrets?" Sirius looked to James, who shrugged.

"Mr. Prongs would pursue this point further, but since a certain person has exited Hogwarts, he no longer cares." James ran his hand through his hair, staring at the entrance to Hogwarts.

A red-head was walking towards Hagrid's cabin.

"Mr. Padfoot thinks that Mr. Prongs needs to find a new obsession."

"Mr. Moony agrees with Mr. Padfoot."

James looked at Sirius and Remus and, even in his Lily-filled mind; he couldn't miss the look that Remus was giving Sirius.

Sirius, for some reason, was missing it completely.

Sometimes James wondered if he had mistaken this look, if he had imagined it. But at other times, James knew perfectly well that that look was almost identical to the look he would give to Lily whenever she appeared.

* * *

On October first, James strode onto the pitch, followed closely by Jolene and Denis. A sense of excitement followed behind him; a wave of nervousness swept over the candidates as they looked at the three sixth years who would decide who became part of one of the greatest teams at Hogwarts (okay, there were only four teams, but still, James prided himself on the skill of the Gryffindor players).

He looked at the group. Second years, third years, two fourth years, Frank Longbottom and Sirius stood there. Sirius looked green around the edges and Frank's hands were tightly clasped around his broomstick. The two fourth years, twin girls, seemed to be the calmest there. They held their brooms loosely, breathing calmly. The only sign that they might be nervous was the grim expressions they wore, identically mirrored on the each others' faces.

"Right!" James barked. Several of the people jumped, Frank included. "You're here to try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team?"

There were nods and a few "yes's" called out.

"Excellent! We need you!" James looked at the group. "We need Beaters, a Chaser and a Seeker. If you're trying out for Keeper, I'm sorry, but we've got Denis."

Denis looked slightly smug. Sirius forced a grin on his face. James knew that Sirius wanted the Keeper's position, but it was useless, he couldn't let Denis go to put his best friend in.

"Right, so everyone trying out for seeker come to me, chasers to Jolene and beaters to Denis," James said. He would have given a speech about the duties of the team, but he decided that he wanted desperately to be in the air and not have his feet planted to the ground for much longer.

One of the twins and two boys walked over to him. The boys (a second and a third year) looked like they could be brothers. James looked at them with a sigh. The Seeker was the most dangerous place on the team, James had to admit, but having only three people try out for it was rather… disappointing. Sure beaters tended to send the Bludgers towards the seeker and they had to go into hurtling dives that no one would dream of, all while looking for a tiny ball that glittered gold, but couldn't there be a few more people trying out?

"Can I get your names?" he asked resignedly.

"Anneliese Arno," the girl said. She was unusually pale, her light blonde hair done up in a braid, her pale blue eyes were all diluted somewhat. She was thin and fit. Small and perfect for the position. At least physically.

"Jeffery Eaton," one of the boys said. He was in third year, James thought at least. He was slightly pudgy and had darting green eyes. No where close to Lily's eyes though.

"Richard Eton," the other boy said. He was exactly the same as Jeffery but had brown eyes.

"Are you related?" James asked the boys.

"No," they said in unison.

"We have similar last names and look the same but we are in no way related," Richard said.

Blinking a few times James re-focused on Quidditch. "Right, warm up and get up to the left goal post on our side in five minutes."

Jolene looked at her group. It was not promising. Sirius had calmed a little when he heard that Jolene was going to test them, the change was obvious. The other twin was calm and indifferent to the nervousness around her. There were five boys all in third and second year that Jolene didn't recognize.

"Right," she said finally. "Warm up and then take a few laps around the stadium. I want to see how you fly."

James started over towards them. Jolene felt a fluttering in her stomach as she looked at him. His hair was messier than usual, making him look slightly dreamy.

She sighed as she watched him come over. _Why does Lily hate him?_ Jolene thought. She had fancied James since they had both joined the Quidditch team. Only the fact that she was best friends with Lily and that James was mad over her stopped her from telling _anyone_ about it.

"Jo!" James grinned at her and Jolene felt her knees go weak.

"Hey, James," Jolene managed to say smoothly.

"You know how in fourth year you said that Denis would be captain last year?"

Jolene blinked. "What?"

"It's written on our desk from fourth year."

Jolene laughed. "Well you were right about that."

James smiled knowingly. "I'm always right." He ran a hand through his hair. "You're choosing who the other chaser is. I can't help you with the decision. You know with Sirius trying out and all."

"Compromising situation. Why did Sirius tryout if he knew that you'd have a time being fair?" Jolene asked.

"I kept bugging him," James grinned sheepishly. Jolene rolled her eyes with some difficulty; her mind was quickly becoming mush from being close to James.

"Well…" she trailed off.

"It's not the best turn out for seekers, anything for chasers?" James asked.

Jolene tried to focus on the group before her. "Sirius—" she said, squinting slightly. "And the other Arno twin."

"Well, we only need one more chaser, so keep an eye out." James grinned at her.

"Talk to you later."

"Yeah," Jolene said in a sigh. She couldn't wait.

Sirius appeared by her side the moment James was gone. "So, when's the wedding?"

"What wedding?" Jolene looked around; the mush that was her brain was turning back into a functional organ.

"With Jimmy boy over there?" Sirius smirked at her as she went red.

"Sirius Black, I haven't a clue about what—"

"Oh come on, 'Yeah.'" Sirius did a perfect imitation of Jolene's pervious sigh.

"Shut up," Jolene said.

"You love him," Sirius taunted.

"You'll be dead if you don't shut up." Jolene replied. Her brain was once again functional and she had her broom in her hand. "Right, get up there and start flying!" she yelled.

"Go ask James out," Sirius murmured to her as he pushed off.

Jolene glared after him. "What the hell?" she asked pushing off herself. "You know perfectly well he's mad over Lily."

"Yeah, well, you never know, he just might say yes."

"When did he get over Lily?" Jolene asked, looking down to where James was watching them.

"Never, but you might help him get over her." Sirius flew off to join the group ahead of them, leaving Jolene slightly stunned.

It took a few moments for her to remember she was supposed to be watching the people ahead of her. Blinking and shaking her head she put aside thoughts of James for Quidditch.

The game was always more fun than life.

* * *

Lily found herself all alone what with Jolene trying out and Ava seeing her boyfriend and Rea attending to Prefect matters. Rea would probably make Head Girl, Lily thought slightly bitterly. Along with Remus Lupin.

But she wasn't going to think about Remus. she sat down at a back table in the library and fumbled around in her bag to find something, anything, to do. her hand touched upon the book her mother had given her when she went home. Trashy romance novels were always fun to read.

Smiling slightly, Lily opened _The Sunset Affair_ and began to read.

Or tried too. Her mind kept on wondering to Remus, and their last conversation. They had been talking near the lake after studying for a bit.

Remus had smiled. "You said that when I told you about my…" Remus looked down.

Lily took his hand. "I know. I know." She smiled. "I promise I won't hate you or treat you like a monster. After all, could it be worse then you're…"

"I'm gay."

Lily blinked. She was about to say "oh." But she knew that it would sound mean. Being a werewolf was worse than being gay. She took a deep breath and let go of Remus' hands.

Remus looked at her. "I'll just go then. I just thought… you should know." He stood and began to walk away.

_You're supposed to call after him and say it's all right. _

But she didn't. She hadn't yet. And that was a month ago now.

Slightly tearfully, Lily looked down at her book again. she needed to read this. There was a scene in which a woman threw herself at her ex-lover and asked him for forgiveness. Lily thought briefly about doing something of a similar effect to Remus, but shook her head. Remus wouldn't appreciate it.

She had been thinking about Remus a lot since he'd left her on the grounds. It wasn't like they talked in the halls or where other people could see them. James would think Remus meant something by it and probably murder him. So they would meet in places that most people didn't know about. They would talk and study and do all the things friends did.

Lily sighed. She wanted Remus to be her friend again. And it didn't matter that he liked men more than women. She had thought it might, for a while, but she knew, deep down, that it wasn't true.

Now, to think of a way to get Remus to forgive her. Lily shook her head. She would think about it while doing her homework.

Sighing, Lily pulled out her books and contemplated the way to apologize to Remus.

* * *

James threw golf balls in the air, thinking about Lily. She would be sitting in the common room, hair over her face, working on homework. She would look up every now and then to talk to someone who would pass. She might stand, close her book and head down to the library to talk to her Ravenclaw friends.

"Ow!" a voice cried above. James looked up to see Richard clutching his nose. Blood was spilling to the ground from it. James rose in the air to look at it.

"Oh, just a bloody nose," he said, slightly disappointed it wasn't more.

Richard glared at him. "You threw the golf ball too hard!"

"Oh," James grinned. "Terribly sorry."

Richard sighed and headed towards the ground. Anneliese rolled her eyes. "Baby," she muttered under her breath.

James frowned. He wouldn't call Richard a baby, just… okay, he would have called Richard a baby last year, but now… now it seemed like that wasn't what Richard was. He was more of an ultra-sensitive boy, but not a baby.

James sighed and helped the boy to the ground. "Sorry, mate," he said, "But you'll have to go to the hospital wing."

"For something so small?" Anneliese muttered something about weaklings. James stared at her. He wanted to wring her neck—

But he couldn't because Richard was going pale now. "Shit. Didn't mean to throw it so hard," James muttered. He helped Richard to the ground and sent Jeffery with him to the Hospital wing.

Anneliese suddenly went into a steep dive a look of deep concentration on her face. James watched in amazement as a few feet above the ground she did a complete 180 and was flying upwards. She lazily came down beside James and handed him the golf ball that he had dropped when helping Richard. "Come on, let's play."

James thought about it for a moment. Then, with a sigh, he pulled out a snitch.

"Catch it by the time we head in," he yelled up to her, "and you get the position." He opened his hand. "Give it a minute to disappear." The snitch flitted away from him and James turned to watch the other groups.

Denis seemed to be doing a good job of dodging the Bludgers being thrown towards him by the beaters. Jolene was tailing a few of the stragglers in her line. He wasn't really needed by either of them.

His thoughts drifted again to Lily. Maybe she would come out and watch the mock game on Saturday that he had scheduled with the Ravenclaw team. Jolene was on the team after all. Maybe, for once she would notice him, and think _Wow._

There was a shout from above and James looked up to see Anneliese Arno holding, in her fist, the snitch. She smiled at him and flew down, fixing her robes to make them look even worse than before. "So?" she asked, dropping the snitch into his hands. He closed them automatically.

James stared from Anneliese to the struggling snitch in his hand. "All right, welcome to the team. Catch it again now." James let the snitch go and watched it skitter away. Anneliese appeared to be looking the other way. Suddenly she whirled and brought her broom into a vertical position, flying upwards. Her hand closed around the snitch. She smirked at him as she came down.

"Why didn't you try out before?" James asked.

"I tried out in my second year, but didn't get in. When Hannah said she was going to try out, I'd thought I'd try again." Anneliese watched the frantic beating of the snitch. "And I'm glad I did."

"What insane captain wouldn't let you on the team?"

"The same one who wouldn't let you on the team." Anneliese looked at the pitch. James felt something rising in his stomach. He wanted to wring her neck now.

It was true; Jonathan Pierce had not let James on the team in his second year. It was only in his third year that he got on. James also could remember Anneliese's previous try out slightly. It hadn't gone very well.

Sighing and feeling his anger lessen James looked too at the pitch. "Well, you're on now."

Anneliese nodded as there was a yell. "LOOK OUT!" But it was too late, the ball hit Anneliese in the back of the head. She blinked once before falling off her broom.

James, Jolene, Hannah and Sirius all dived for her body. James and Jolene caught her as Hannah grabbed the broom. They got her safely on the ground while the rest of the group grappled with the Bludgers. The snitch had disappeared.

"Is she okay?" Jolene asked James.

"She's breathing and there's no blood. She's doesn't seem to be awake," James replied. Hannah looked at them, her blue eyes wide.

"Will she be okay?"

"I don't know, we should get her to the castle."

"No, we can't move her," Sirius said, he looked at them. "You don't know what's wrong with her. If you move her it might hurt her."

"Frank, go get Mrs. Coercer," James said. He looked at the girl, her silver hair spread around her face. She looked like she was sleeping. Hannah, the mirror image of her sister was on the other side, holding her hand.

Tense minutes passed. James had the group step away from the girl. He talked in a low voice to Jolene.

"I don't know what to do, if Frank doesn't turn up—"

"He will." Jolene put a reassuring hand on James' arm.

James looked up towards the castle. He couldn't see anyone coming. He gulped and looked down at the girl. "What do you think we should do?"

"Wait. It'll be all right James."

James took Jolene's hand from his arm and clutched it, hoping she was right.

* * *

Jolene felt like her arm was on fire. The fire was slowly spreading through her body. James was clutching her hand. _Touching_ her hand. She felt as if she could die and be happy now. The world was fading away and there was only a tall young man with messy black hair. His hazel eyes were boring into hers from behind his wired framed glasses…

Or not.

They were staring at the lawn in front of the castle where the school nurse, Mrs. Coercer, bustled behind Frank. James let go of her hand and Jolene wished he would grab it again. The world was coming back into focus for her and, as usual, it wasn't a nice world.

Mrs. Coercer appeared. She was an aging woman with silver hair that was caught in a braid at the nape of her wrinkled neck. She was a handsome woman for one of her years, athletic and in excellent shape, even for the hundred (give or take) years she had lived. She hurried over to Anneliese's side and began checking pulses.

"I think she'll be all right," Mrs. Coercer said to Hannah. She lifted one of Anneliese's eye lids. Pointing her wand at the exposed eyes she muttered a quick spell. "There's nothing to see here, I'll get her to the hospital wing with Hannah's help." She conjured a stretcher, floated Anneliese onto it, and then got Hannah to gently push the stretcher along.

Jolene watched as they floated away. James shook himself, and looked at the group. "You got someone for the other chaser?" he muttered to Jolene.

"Yeah." She breathed out.

"Denis?"

'Yeah."

"Good." James turned to the group. "All right, I think we've seen enough. We can't announce the placement on the team until we've conferred, and I've talked to the other team captains, but I'm sure we will get it to you as soon as possible."

"Where will it be posted?" one of the second years asked.

"On the board in the Gryffindor common room." James noticed many of the people were staring after Anneliese and her sister. "Right, I'm glad you all tried out and good luck to you all." James turned and walked into the changing rooms, Jolene followed him.

The three sixth years slumped on the bench. "Shit," James muttered, putting his head in his hands. "I hadn't a clue what to do."

Jolene gently touched his arm. "No one did."

"But I should have."

"Why?" Jolene asked simply.

"Because he always knows," Denis murmured.

Jolene glared at him, but James looked up, pulling off his glasses. Red marks from where they had pressed into his face showed in the dim light. "I didn't know. Everyone expects me to know and I didn't."

Jolene grabbed his arm as he rose. "James, don't blame yourself! It wasn't your fault."

"If she hadn't—"

"It was not your fault!" Jolene cried. James stared at her. His eyes were misty with held back tears. _Don't cry. You aren't supposed to cry. Guys don't cry._

James whirled and left the changing room. Denis leaned back and stared after him. "It would better to chase a dream than to chase James Potter," he said, seemingly to the air. But Jolene knew that he was telling her to give it up.

Shaking her dark head furiously, Jolene dashed out of the locker room. She wouldn't believe Denis. She might, eventually, catch up to him.

* * *

Lily was tired of studying. This was not an uncommon thing among students. In fact, Lily contemplated; she had only ever met one person who _wanted_ to study. Remus Lupin was wrapped in his studies all the time.

It wasn't that Lily didn't study, she did quite a lot (and got top marks), it was more that she wasn't a fan of studying. There were more interesting things to do. For example, today she was going to visit Hagrid.

Okay, maybe it wasn't the most exciting thing in the world, but it was better than being in the library all day. At least at Hagrid's she could breathe air that hadn't been there for the last ten years. It was either that or the lake. Lily didn't like the lake because James was usually there.

Stepping out of the castle she was momentarily blinded by the sunlight. Blinking furiously she took a step forward and tripped. Flying forward she found someone grabbing her around the waist. Strong arms held her in a rather prone position. Still, she hadn't hit the ground.

"You all right?" a kind voice asked.

"Er…" Lily blinked, trying to see who it was. Long black hair and blue eyes. Her heart stirred slightly. "Oh, yeah… just you know, blinded by the light." She laughed idiotically as Sirius helped her up. "Thanks for catching me."

"Oh, you're welcome. Can't help but help you Lily." Sirius grinned at her. Lily blinked. For a moment she could see why girls were falling all over Sirius Black. That smile alone could make her keel over, if she weren't already in love with… _I have no idea,_ Lily told herself sternly. She wasn't in love with anyone. No one at all. But a young man with dancing hazel eyes behind wire framed glasses played in the background. _Go away James! _She told the young man. James smiled tauntingly and disappeared.

"Lily, you okay?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," Lily said a little dazed.

"Where are you going?" Sirius asked.

"Hagrid's," Lily replied, smiling.

"Well, have fun there," Sirius said walking into the castle. Lily watched him go and frowned. Wasn't Sirius supposed to be trying out for Quidditch?

* * *

Jolene caught his arm. "James," she said softly. James whirled to face her.

He was startled to find that she was his height. Her skin was like chocolate ice cream that had been melting for a while. Her deep brown eyes were blank, almost as if she wasn't feeling anything. __

"James?" Jolene asked. "You okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I am now." James said, staring at her. Jolene began to blush, the color flooding to her cheeks in two bright patches. She looked down at her hand, which was still touching his shirt. "Where are you going?"

"I'm—" Jolene looked up, dropping her hand to her side. "I'm going after you, you looked… troubled," she finished lamely. The red in her cheeks grew.

"Just -- slightly." James managed. "But…er…walking it off…"

"Oh, yeah," Jolene said. They stood in awkward silence. It was unusual. Jolene and James got along well, they were friends. The only thing that kept them from being closer was Lily.

Incidentally, a very flustered looking Lily walked straight into James. "Oh no!" she cried, her green eyes widening. James stared at her.

"You all right?" he asked.

"I keep on bumping into people today, I'm sorry—" Lily had finally seen who she had bumped into. Jolene stepped over to look at her best friend.

Lily's eyes darted between James and Jolene before she muttered a quick sorry and brushed past them. James stared at Lily's retreating back.

"She said sorry to me," James said. "She said sorry to _me_." His heart was dancing, but as he looked down he saw the lovely color that had been in Jolene's cheeks draining away. He wondered why, she almost always had a cheery smile and bright red in her cheeks when she was around him. Her dark head was down.

"Great," she said, looking up. Her eyes were guarded even more now and her face slightly pained. James felt guilty for being so happy about Lily.

"Shall I walk you up to the castle?" he asked.

"It's not that far."

"Race you?"

"You're on," Jolene cried, darting forward. James followed close behind, laughing along with Jolene.

* * *

Sirius entered the library. He glanced around, hoping no one would notice him.

It was useless though, a few of the girls at a table giggled as he made his way purposefully over to Remus' table. Papers were surrounding him as he scribbled away at some essay that was probably due in ten weeks.

Remus liked to keep on top of his work.

His sandy hair was long and wavy, a piece was sticking up in a loop over his head. He had a pair of glasses on his nose, the small button like nose that Sirius liked to poke. Several crumpled pieces of parchment were on the ground.

Remus growled softly to himself as Sirius approached.

"What're you writing?" Sirius asked, flopping into the chair beside Remus. He closed his eyes and put his feet on the table, leaning back against the bookshelf.

Remus looked up and stuffed the paper under a book. "A letter," he replied.

"To a special someone?" Sirius asked, opening his right eye to look at his friend.

Remus went red. "Maybe."

The two legs of the chair that were off the ground slammed down as Sirius grabbed for the letter. "Who?"

"No one you know," Remus said grabbing the letter and putting it in his robes.

"Come on, Remus, no secrets, remember?" Sirius said a stab of jealousy going through his heart.

"I'm allowed to have secrets," Remus countered.

"Not from me, Remus," Sirius said, trying his best to look innocent.

"No, Sirius. I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want you interfering with this. I don't want to tell him about it."

"But why not?" Sirius asked.

"Because, I don't it to ruin anything," Remus replied. But he wouldn't look Sirius in the eye.

"Oh come on, tell me. I know lots about the whole—"

"Sirius, you're straight," Remus said, almost bitterly. "Don't try and do anything about this."

"Can't I just know who it is?" Sirius almost wanted to pull out the promise they had made each other in third year. _No secrets between us._

Remus looked at him for a long moment; Sirius felt his heart rate quickening.

"How 'bout I guess?" Sirius said quickly before Remus could say no. "Is it someone in our year?"

"Yes," Remus said, reddening.

"Is he in our house?"

"Yes."

"Is he gay as well?" Sirius asked.

"I don't know," Remus replied.

Sirius gave Remus a hard look. "Is he in one of the other dorms?"

Remus said nothing.

"Ah-ha!" Sirius cried, trying to be more enthusiastic. But the sport had gone out of the guessing. He felt like he had been cheated. He knew who it was supposed to be, in the back of his mind… Who did he want it to be? "So, is he in dorm one, or three?"

Remus still said nothing.

"Come on, Moony," Sirius said, "tell me."

"No."

"Fine," Sirius pouted. Usually that got his way with Remus. Remus would pull out the letter and hand it to him with a sigh of regret. But this time Remus pulled out another piece of paper and began to write on it.

Sirius stared. Remus wouldn't break, and that bothered him. The silence grew uncomfortable until Lily appeared, looking flustered.

"Er…" she said. Remus looked up at her and then away. Sirius sometimes wondered what went on between the two. They had been friends up until last month, when they had just stopped, suddenly. Lily went red and then said. "Er… Remus—"

"Hello, Lily." Cool, calm, Remus wouldn't look at her.

"Well, I've lost my—er…" Lily looked at Sirius for some sort of guidance.

"Lily, is there something I could help you with?" Remus asked.

Lily teetered on the edge of saying something, but instead shook her head. "Look, Remus, I'm sorry," she managed. "I didn't mean to bother you." She turned.

Remus watched her back for a moment before saying calmly, "Lily, come sit with us for a bit."

Lily turned and smiled broadly. "Really?"

"Of course." Remus smiled.

Sirius stared. He wondered at Remus and how he could forgive so easily. And quickly. Because he was talking to Lily now and she was looking relieved, as if a long standing argument had just been settled, and a guilty feeling was lifted from her shoulders.

* * *

Jolene arrived at the front door only slightly out of breath. James came behind her, laughing.

"You're a dirty cheater!" James said, grinning at her. His face was covered in mud.

"It's not my fault you slipped in the mud," Jolene said, repressing her smile. James stuck out his tongue. There was a mew at his feet and he looked down. Mrs. Norris was staring at him.

"Oh, shit," Jolene muttered. "I would get out of—"

"Potter," Filch hissed, appearing. Somehow Filch had learned every short cut in the school in two weeks, which was some sort of record, James was sure. "You're getting mud everywhere!"

"I'm sorry," James said, moving away from the caretaker.

"Stop moving, you'll get more mud everywhere." Filch glared at him from narrowed yellow eyes.

"But I have to move to get anywhere."

"That's not my concern. If you move, I'll give you detention for a month." Filch walked away with a bit of a bounce in his step. "And I think it will be during the next Quidditch game." James stared after him.

"Oh shit. What am I going to do now?" James asked Jolene. Jolene stared at him.

"I don't know the cleaning spell at all. The only person I know who can do it well is Lily… but, er…"

James sighed. "I know, she won't come and help me."

"What about Remus? Would he know it?"

"I don't know, it's always worth a try."

"I'll go get him." Jolene turned and hurried down the hall. James watched her leave and wondered if maybe it was time to give up on Lily. There were plenty of other girls in the world. Take Jolene for instance.

Jolene knew Remus would be in the library. She swore he would be better in Ravenclaw, but the Sorting Hat knew best. Who didn't know that Remus Lupin spent most of his time studying?

As she entered a surprising (and partly heartening) scene was there. Lily was sitting beside Sirius Black, giggling. Remus was watching Sirius who was saying something. Lily was obviously enjoying their company.

Maybe she would help James.

No, she couldn't let that happen. She wanted James herself, she didn't want Lily to have _any_ sort of claim to James.

Jolene stared at the group. She could go back without help and do the spell herself, or she could get Remus. Lily would be sure to ask about it though. And then Lily would come with them. And Lily would be the one to clean James.

No, that wouldn't work. Jolene glanced around the room. Rea was in the corner, reading. Rea. Grinning Jolene hurried over to her friend.

"Where are you going, Alexandria, in such a rush?" a silky voice said. Jolene turned to look at who was speaking to her.

She saw Severus Snape from behind the bookshelf and made a face. "It's none of your concern, Snape," she snapped. "And I was walking at a respectable pace."

"Careful, Alexandria, don't want to cross me. You just might not be able to make it to the Quidditch pitch one day."

Jolene rolled her eyes. "Excuse me," she said and continued onto Rea. _Stupid Slytherin Prefect._

* * *

__

Alex Reynolds listened carefully. _Stupid, stuck up, Gryffindor prefect._ He thought as Lily giggled. _Stupid laugh.___

Lily said something that Alex couldn't quite hear, he pushed forward a little more and a book fell from the shelf, right onto Lily's head.

"Shit," Alex breathed out. He backed away from the shelf and down the line. Lily appeared at one end of the row. Alex darted around a shelf just in time. He stared at her with wide eyes. She would never know the book had come from him.

He smiled sardonically. He could exact vengeance when he wanted to. The book wouldn't be the last thing.

"What are you doing, Reynolds?" a hissing voice said from behind him. Alex nearly jumped from his own skin. He turned to see Severus Snape looking at him.

"Looking for a book," Alex sneered. He turned back to the shelf. The books there were about caring for salamanders native to South America.

"I didn't know you were interested in salamanders," Snape snapped.

"It's a recent hobby that I have picked up," Alex replied, running his hands over the spines of the books.

"So, I suppose you have a collection?" Snape asked, his cold black eyes bearing down on Alex.

"Not yet, I'm getting my order soon," Alex said.

"Planning on breeding them?"

"No," Alex replied.

"Very well, I should like to see these salamanders when they arrive, I have my own."

Alex broke out in cold sweat. Snape was watching him, he could tell. And everyone Snape watched had terrible things happen to them. Snape glided away and Alex gulped, loosening his tie. It was feeling too warm in the library suddenly. He stumbled towards the exit, trying to avoid notice in his panic.

* * *

Lily was smiling quite broadly when she left the library. Remus had forgiven her! She was grinning stupidly when she bumped into a second year.

She yelped and grabbed her wand. His face was purple and he was only just moving, his tie too tight around his neck. She quickly loosened it and looked at the poor boy.

"Are you all right?"

He wouldn't answer and merely shook his head, mouthing strange words. Lily began to shake. It was scary to see this.

"Come on, I'll bring you to the hospital wing. It's all right." Lily looked around for someone, or something that might have done this. There was no one lurking in the shadows that she could see.

Gently she lead the second year down to the hospital wing. A fourth year girl was on a bed near by, her twin beside the bed. Lily smiled at the girl as she left the hospital wing.

Lily entered the great hall and ran straight into a very bored James, knocking him over.

Again.

Except this time she was on top of him. He stared at her, eyes squinted—his glasses had fallen off—and then he grinned. "Hello, Lily."

Lily was bright red. "Yeah," she said, realizing she couldn't move.

"So, finally changed your mind about me?"

That made her move. Lily pushed herself off of him and glared at him. "Get away from me."

"You're the one who ran into me," James said, his face too going red. He scrabbled to get his glasses. His fingers found a foot.

"You moved," Jolene said, very calmly, handing him his glasses. Lily was gone when he pushed his glasses on his nose.

"Oh shit."

Rea Cunningham rolled her eyes and pulled out her wand. "_Nettlera__."_ The dirty flakes moved into a small pile and then Rea preformed the vanishing spell.

"There," she said, pushing her glasses up her nose.

"Thank you, Rea," James said. She blushed and said she had to go study. James smiled up at her from the ground.

When Rea had disappeared, James looked at Jolene who was frowning. "Help an old man up," James said, putting his hands forward so Jolene could grab them and help him up.

"James is an old man?" Jolene asked, grabbing his wrists to pull him up.

"Oh so old," James said, putting and arm around her. "Help me hobble up to the tower?"

"Of course." Jolene replied, grinning.

* * *

**A/N: Yes, so, I'd like to thank my reviewers of six. Here's my little Reviewers Response:**

**Aspiring Shieldmaiden: **Called Songs About Lily because… well, you'll see. But look at the chapter titles and think about a popular band that's around these days (hint: they have a number in their name) and if you can't get it, don't worry about it, it's just a title.

**Ruby Snidget Child: **Thanks. : ) I have such issues with characters that are meant to be bad but you know they can't be THAT bad. I'm glad I got it "right"!

**Guff: **Hagrid was 13 at the time, he wasn't old enough for work. He was Gamekeeper's assistant before he was gamekeeper.

**Twilight66: **Thanks. I can't wait to write more!

**Take to the Sky: **3 3 3 you!

**Queen's Own: **Updates ---- as shown, not often.

**Thanks for all the loverly reviews and keep 'em coming. I know it's too early in this to try and bribe you, but if y'all give me at least 50 reviews, there'll be a cookie at the end (it just means a review every now and then from all you who commented before… : ) )**


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